Archives mensuelles : avril 2015

INNOWEO just issued its IMAGE-IN cards deck, a wonderful tool to help you innovate. Join the community to have access to your free deck.

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I have been an accredited creativity and brainstorming facilitator for 8 years now. I have taken part as facilitator to almost 100 official sessions.
I have be trained in France by my company to a 5 diamond method (5 phases of divergence and convergence) allowing to fully cover the theme and leverage the creativity possibilities of the group. See my other article to know how to gather the right people into your creativity group (in french).

In all the sessions I have facilitated I have used several tools but one that works good, especially as ice breaker is the Nicolas Piepoli cards… Don’t ask me who he was and why those cards took his name. All I know is that it is a perfect way to start a creativity/brainstorming session.

how can we use such cards?

Those card are real cards but they can be used in those sessions thanks to the drawing they have.

My favourite ice breaker consists to randomly distribute one card per participant and then ask them to use the drawing to present themselves to the others. That is a powerful way to start. First people are shy, don’t really see how to do it, think by themselves etc… At that point it is important to have an accredited facilitator because they know to handle such situation. I personally take the lead, and do the exercise myself. It is easy now after so much facilitation 😉 It definitely engages the group and prove to everybody that it is possible.

Are the cards really necessary?

Absolutely not!!! Gather some nice not representative drawings and use it. The cards are just an easy way to it 😉

Changing your business model is may be the better way to improve your business at all, without any R&D or new products. Follow the 4 steps approach to maximize your chances to define a brand new future for your activity.

What is your actual business model?

Before starting to change it you have to understand your actual business model. This is a very important step that shouldn’t be minimize. spent time of this step to be sure you will handle all the inputs and necessary information. Try to share the strategic vision that your business model serves. Your business model is not « Alone in The Dark »: list your competitors and try to shape their own business model.

Create options

The Business model canva has that advantage that you can build a lot of versions in a very short time. So use it and do it. Use creativy tools, insights from established companies and other tools to shape new versions of your business model. Try to see your market from a different point of view, that is how disruptive models happen.

Test your assumptions

In all and every business model, you have assumptions. Test it to your customers, to your distribution channels, to your employees, partners, challenge your factories… Do go live with untested assumptions.

Implement your solution

Gather a team, prepare a project, draw the route and drive the car. Go as fast as possible (don’t drive fast in real life 😉 )to implement your model. Speed is king those days.

the fifth step is secret…. Celebrate.

Do you see more things to add? Do you want to share your lessons learned on changing business model? Please leave a comment.

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As innovators getting the support of management is key. For a manager, becoming sup)porter of innovation is not necessarily straight forward. Here is some hints I can give you to embark managers to become innovation supporters:

VALUE THEM
Recognize, value and advertise managers that allowed innovation to happen in their team

INNOVATION AS CAREER ENABLER
Make sure that innovators or innovators enablers are promoted through their innovation achievements

HELP THEM TO UNDERSTAND
Train them, provide them with support regarding innovation. In one word, give them the CONFIDENCE to be innovative and promote innovation.

MEASURE SUCCESS
You do it well? You have particular achievement with innovation? Make it visible. that’s key to be sure that management will take it into account. (could be linekd with n°1)

MAKE YOUR ENVIRONMENT MAP AND REMOVE THE BLOCKS
As every change project, innovation should make its very own environment map (incl stakeholders maps, supports and constraints etc…). One this is done you have actions to do to first work with supporters and remove some blocks taht could appear on the road.

TEAM SUCCESS IS MANAGER SUCCESS
Make it clear once again. A team success is first its manager success

Getting the support of the management is key to transform your innovation initiative into a successful innovation program for the company. Especially you have to ensure the support of the middle management that can make or destroy your program.

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As from now, new comers on the INNOWEO Community (+100 members already, thanks for your support and interest!!) will receive a design-by-myself bookmark to never loose their page when reading an innovation book. A pdf file will be sent to you once registered, just print it A5 sized recto verso, use your best scissors and you will be done.

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Registered members will receive their file shortly. A bunch of professionally printed items will be done and distributed if you meet me at one or another occasion 😉

And just for you to know, I am working on a white paper called « INNOWEO, deploy innovation wisely » that will be sent to all INNOWEO community members and given to new comers. It should be ready this summer. It will present my way to deploy innovation within an established company, the traps and the goods.

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I have now quite a experience regarding presentation to top management or venture. I also have had the great opportunities to hear from the most inspiring speakers – Loic Le Meur, Eric Ries, Bruno Bonnel… – to starting start-upers… I have gathered here the 10 top thinks I always remember before going in front of an audience. The goal is not to be exhaustive so please add yours as comments.

IMPACT
I used to play Rugby. In Rugby once the kick-off is done there is one thing every coach ask you: impress your opponent. This is done through IMPACT.
When speaking, focus on the impact (not that you play rugby hein…) you have on your audience. Don’t forget that your words count for only 10% of your impact during a presentation. Focus on body language and voice, they’re most important.

VARY!Move in space, change your voice tone, use silence: Again, voice and body are the most important.Use unusual kind of sentences: « Look », « Take note », »We are gone to explore… »Ask questions you answer directly « Is SPOTIFY an AGILE company? Of course it is and I will show you why. »

SPEACH
Track all your verbal tics… « heuu…. »

DON’T APOLOGIZE
Nobody knows you did a mistake or planned more time on this subject.